


A Savage Clamor

by Mytha



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 13:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10438299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mytha/pseuds/Mytha
Summary: Cassandra and Vivienne have to face a formidable foe after getting separated from the rest of the party.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AuditoryCheesecake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuditoryCheesecake/gifts).



> I hope you will enjoy this short tale of these kick-ass women fighting side by side.

The Inquisitor's party was up to an early start, making their way out of the remnant foothills of the Frostbacks and through a stretch of land before the Emerald Graves at dawn. The forested region's lush vegetation and somber atmosphere already made itself felt. 

Banter between the party members had fizzled out and eventually stopped. Everyone seemed caught up in their own thoughts. 

They were there investigating the reports of a mage cult that seemed to prey on travelers. Even some of the Inquisition's own scouts had recently vanished in the area. Cassandra's contacts had reported on troublesome apostates in the region before, which now seemed more than a coincidence. In addition they had had new intelligence that these rogue mages were hiding in a cave nearby and so the party hoped to surprise them with an early approach. 

Closer to their destination they took up positions on an overhang that provided an excellent vantage point from which to evaluate their opponents.

Solas frowned. “This is all very strange, Inquisitor, I can feel strong magic at work here.”

“I can see they have posted guards – there and there,” Malika pointed out. 

“We won't be able to surprise them as we'd hoped. There is only one way to attack – from the front.” 

“We may yet surprise them if we take out the guards quickly. I will aim to incapacitate them with arrows and - Vivienne - ice magic? Charge with Cassandra, Solas and I will cover you from a distance.”

“Understood.” 

“Once we are in the cave the rules might change, so keep your wits about you.”

“My dear Inquisitor," Vivienne purred. "I always do.” 

The initial assault played out exactly as they had hoped with Vivienne's ice magic preventing the mages' guards from alerting their compatriots and Cadash taking care of the remainders with her arrows. 

Inside the cave, however, it was another story. The tunnels were poorly lit and winding, an added advantage for the mages. They did manage to catch some of them unaware or sleeping, which might have meant that they could have taken them prisoner, but then fire mines exploded around the party, signaling that more apostates had noticed the intrusion and came to their brothers' aid. 

Cassandra dispelled their magic as much as she could, challenging their foes and drawing them away from Vivienne, who threw ice and frost at their attackers and occasionally lashed out at those that came too close with her spirit blade. In the confusion of battle they soon became separated from the Inquisitor and Solas. As the last mage fell, ice splintering, cracking, and shattering, Vivienne and Cassandra were left standing in near darkness and sudden silence.

“Well done, my dear Cassandra. Now, you would not happen to remember which one of these tunnels we came from originally?” 

The Seeker gave a short growl of frustration. “The only thing I can tell for certain is that most of our attackers came out of this one.” She indicated with her sword. 

“Well, I suppose it is worth investigating, my dear. We can worry about finding our way back later.”

“I am more worried about finding the Inquisitor again, Vivienne.”

“As we do not know which way they went, this might prove a more futile effort. They may also have come to a similar conclusion and gone on ahead.”

“I suppose you are right.”

As they carefully proceeded down the dimly-lit tunnels they became more and more aware of a noise that was equal parts mournful and eerie. A hollow rumbling, not human, not nearly animal either. 

“You are familiar with dragons, Cassandra. Could we be hearing such a beast?”

"No matter what you've heard, I do not flatter myself an expert on dragons. Either way, I think it unlikely.”

Waves of the eerie sound echoed down the tunnels, growing louder as they neared the source, until they arrived at a vast cave, lined with torches and veilfire, whose dim, green glow amplified the feeling of foreboding and dread transported by the distorted groans. 

“Watch your step, dear Cassandra, there are magical snares and barriers in place here.”

“I can sense them, Vivienne.” 

“Then we should see about dispelling them carefully. If we face yet another fight we do not want to accidentally trigger one – or be pushed into them.”

“If they are traps," Cassandra said. "Proceed with caution.”

Vivienne cast a small dispelling spell ahead of them, causing glyphs on the floor to light up before they were dissolved by her magic and vanished. The pair advanced carefully through the cavern, making sure to check the mages' belongings for any intelligence useful to Leliana and any hint of the missing scouts.

Cassandra found Vivienne studying a bundle of papers, brows creased in visible concern.

“What have you found?”

“Nothing on the scouts. These are spells of summoning and binding demons of great power. Of using lyrium to strengthen a willing host. If these mages succeeded in doing such a thing we might be facing an opponent of great destructive powers.”

“We have both fought such beings before. I am certain we will be capable of dealing with it.”

Vivienne's mouth twitched. “Your determination does you credit, my dear, and your confidence is admirable. I would still caution you. Demons are always more tricky than one might expect.” 

Cassandra's retort was cut short by a deafening roar from the back of the cave. 

“I fear we might have to test that confidence of yours a lot sooner than I would wish, my dear Seeker.” Vivienne pocketed the papers and cast a protective barrier around them before advancing slowly in the direction of the noise.

Suddenly more glyphs activated around them. Before Vivienne could react Cassandra had instinctively cast forth a burst of dispelling energy that shattered the glyphs in a rapidly expanding outward bubble.

“That might not have been wise.” Vivienne shouted as the cave rang with a roar that was now decidedly furious. 

Her only answer was a grim look from the Seeker. Cassandra moved irritably away in the dark before catching her footing, stumbling forward on a root. “Can you provide us with more light so we may finally see what we are up against? As you rightly pointed out it has noticed us already and we are at a disadvantage in this near-dark.” 

Vivienne cast an immolation spell at a pile of furniture to the left of them which burst into bright flames illuminating more of the vast cave. Straight ahead of them at the back of the cave a great dark shape shook itself and reared back on its hind legs and then came towards them. As the flames burned brighter, they saw its dark eyes reflecting the fire and an white teeth in a great jaw flashing as the thing roared loudly yet again. 

“It is a great bear!” Cassandra shouted. “Keep back!" 

“Did these fools keep it as a pet? Be wary, Seeker, they might have meddled with it.”

“I am well aware of the dangers.”

Cassandra advanced carefully, using her shield to cover herself. The great bear was truly gigantic, Vivienne noticed as Cassandra came closer to it and she could use the Seeker's size as a means to measure by comparison. Her companion seemed undaunted by the prospect of taking on the hulking beast. Well, to a dragon slayer this could seem a comparatively small challenge. 

Vivienne saw the great shape charge at the Seeker, a sudden crackle of magic filled the air and a red mist seemed to form around it in flickering tendrils. Its eyes, which formerly had only reflected the fire's light now took on a red glow of their own. 

Had these foolish mages bound a rage demon in this bear? If so, drastic measures were necessary. Vivienne cast a great ice spell at the beast, whose fur sparkled with frost briefly, but seemed otherwise undeterred by her effort. Her immolation spell yielded similarly small results. There would be nothing for it but to fight the beast with her spirit blade. She cast an invigorating spell for herself and Cassandra and then joined the Seeker’s side. 

“Try to move behind it!” Cassandra voice was hardly audible through the creature's roar. “I will try to draw its attention away from you if it notices.” 

The bear was still busy attacking the Seeker, whose strength and stamina had often seemed miraculous to Vivienne. She was doing well taunting the great beast, bearing the blows of its paws and avoiding its jaw while occasionally landing a skilled hit that left it bleeding. 

Vivienne set to attacking its hind legs, attempting to throw it off balance, occasionally using her fade cloak to avoid a kick and rousing too much of its attention. 

The beast was indefatigable. Vivienne felt her mana drain and dwindle until she fought to be able to cast barriers. She was long out of lyrium potions and felt like she kept her spirit blade through determination alone. Thankfully it was not only the demon beast that was indefatigable. Cassandra matched its fervor hit by hit. Her shouts battled against the beast's roar, as the two opponents clashed again and again. 

Vivienne had fallen back a little to regain her strength, when she became aware of a change in the beast. Its fur had begun to burn away in places, leaving raw exposed flesh and burning flames in its place. A network of blue veins stood out against the bear's skin, thrumming with the power of raw lyrium.

“Cassandra! The demon! I think it is-” Vivienne watched incredulous as the veins pulsed with a charge that seemed to renew the great beast's stamina over and over again. “It is using the lyrium somehow!”

“Vivienne, go back to the cave's entrance.”

“I won't leave.”

“Ugh. Trust me. Just – go! Put some distance between us.”

Understanding Vivienne made her way back towards the tunnel they had come from, casting a weak barrier as she went. From the tunnel the fires in the cave provided enough light for her to still easily see the small shape of the Seeker framed in black against the fiery shape of the great beast. Cassandra knelt, her great shield above her, protecting herself from the beast, which slammed its head into her over and over. 

Suddenly there was a faint sensation of burning in the air, followed by an oppressive presence that sent searing tendrils through Vivienne's blood. She quickly retreated backwards into the tunnel as the shape of the giant bear reared up and howled in pain, writhing and distorting into unnatural shapes as it was enveloped in blue flames, consuming it as its howl slowly faded. 

__

“Demon bear, that's a new one,” Malika remarked when they had reunited. “We only had to deal with two mages that thought they were being very clever leading us round in circles in these blasted tunnels of theirs.” She shot them a quick evil grin. “We made them pay for it in the end.”

“Charming,” Vivienne retorted. “If you do not mind the Seeker and I would like to go down to the stream to rid ourselves of the viscera and other mementos the beast left us.”

“Very well. Solas and I will have a look at these papers you found?”

“Be my guest, darling.” 

Vivienne picked up a blanket, her satchel of potions and other useful things and departed for the stream. Cassandra was already waiting for her. 

The Seeker had taken off some of her armor and sat, seemingly deep in thought, occasionally sipping from a mug filled with water. 

Vivienne spread out her blanket next to her. “Have you recovered a little, my dear Cassandra?”

“Setting the lyrium in someone's blood aflame is...” Cassandra shook her head and spoke deliberately. "I do not like to use this power often, Vivienne, and rarely does it require me to unleash its full potential."

“A kindness, dear Seeker. One such as yourself, with such abilities, has often brought fear to Circles around Thedas.

“I am well aware.”

“Though I have to say that yours seems to be a particularly powerful gift.”

Cassandra shifted uncomfortably and her brows drew together, giving her a grim look. “It is useful – and I am grateful to have it.”

“No argument there, my dear. I would say it saved both our lives today. Do not deny it.”

Cassandra merely sighed. She flicked a gob of lyrium beast remains from her arm and turned to Vivienne. “If you would not mind keeping watch, Vivienne, I would like to finally wash off the remains of this... thing.” 

“Of course, dear.”

Vivienne watched as Cassandra took off her mantle, breast-plate, boots, sword and scabbard and then walked into the river with her remaining clothes, which were soiled beyond recognition by the blood and viscera of the great beast. 

It was almost meditative, keeping watch, occasionally letting her eyes wander back to Cassandra, who was in the process of taking off her clothes piece by piece and scrubbing them before setting them on stones to dry. Some oft hem were probably beyond saving, but the Seeker obviously detested wastefulness and was wont to try. Vivienne sighed – if only the stubborn woman would be more likely to heed her advice or accept her gifts – she could be the most stunning warrior in all of Thedas. A sight worthy of the legend she was. 

When Cassandra had shed all of her clothes Vivienne noticed for the first time that she had a nasty gash across her lower back, that seemed to still be bleeding and was an angry red. 

“You should let me look at that wound on your back when you are done, darling. I do not like the look of it.” she called out.

Cassandra winced visibly in pain while she washed in the cool river. Her face, now clean of grime, was worryingly pale.

“This cannot have come from the bear. I never even saw you with your back towards him.”

“It was one of the mages in the tunnels, I believe. It was not so bad at first.”

“It does not look deep, but he may have used a poisoned blade. Come let me examine it.”

Vivienne held her breath as Cassandra came towards her. Truly, the woman was a marvel. 

Cassandra slowly lowered herself onto the blanket in front of Vivienne, her posture rigid, trying not to agitate her back. 

Vivienne hissed, looking at the wound. It was indeed showing the effects of poison and she quickly placed her hands on the Seeker's lower back, sending bursts of healing magic through it. 

“This should help, but I will also give you an antidote that counteracts the effects of deathroot, for I believe that was the poison used. We should watch the wound carefully for the time being, however. Consult Solas, if it worsens.”

“Let us hope it does not worsen then. I feel much better in your hands.” Cassandra said.

Vivienne smiled as Cassandra blushed. 

“I did not mean-”

“It was a compliment, darling. Do not apologize.”

Vivienne sent another burst of healing along the edges of the wound and then took a small flask out of her satchel and handed it to Cassandra. “Drink this and then have some water. I will go to the river to clean myself up and you should wrap this blanket around you so you do not catch cold. Do not cover your back yet, however. I will have another look at it when I return.”

She watched the Seeker from the river occasionally, anxious for any ill developments, but Cassandra seemed to be well. She had wrapped the blanket around her hips and sat up straight-backed. Her eyes were closed and Vivienne assumed the Seeker was engaged either in mediation or in prayer. 

Thankfully Vivienne herself had been able to avoid becoming as drenched in blood during the battle as Cassandra had, but after a morning spent battling in filthy caves the state of her clothes and skin were pitiful. She set to the task of remedying this with precision and relish.

When she returned, clean and dressed in a silk tunic while her armor dried, Cassandra seemed more relaxed, her rigid posture gone and color returning to her face. Still, Vivienne was anxious to check the wound and found herself breathing a sigh of relief when she saw its angry redness vanishing. Vivienne was surprised at just how hard the relief hit her. Outwardly, she projected cool and calm as ever.

“I will dress the wound and then we may go back to the others. I think you will no longer feel the pain soon.”

“Thank you, Vivienne.” There was sincerity and a bit of warmth in the other woman’s voice.

"It's the least I can do. It is an honor to fight beside you, my dear.”

This won her yet another blush from the Seeker, which was absurdly gratifying. As they made their way back to the others Vivienne realized this new-found feeling was something worth investigating. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to amarmeme for the spontaneous beta!


End file.
